Box It Up: Storage Solutions for Kids

Santa has it easy. He just has to cram his toys into a sack and drop it all off in your family room. Then it’s up to you to figure out a livable storage solution.

Fear not. We’ve got tips for getting the kids to help clean up, places to drop off old toys, and cool bins, boxes and trunks that will be as attractive as they are functional.

Toy chests have the advantage of being sturdy and staying in one place. They can be beautiful pieces of almost-grown-up-looking furniture or they can be decorated with more kid-friendly motifs like cars, princesses, dinosaurs and the like. Bins and totes are great for toys that often get carted around—either around the playroom or around the house. They’re also easy to clean, and clean out.

Before you start filling bins and boxes with new loot, you may need to clear out some space. Time to decide what gets stored for potential future family members, and what gets donated. Toys for Tots and a lot of holiday toy drives stop collecting in mid-December, but The Salvation Army, and Goodwill accept donations year round. So do Children’s Hospitals and places like Ronald McDonald Family Rooms and Houses. A quick Google search or a trip through Charity Navigator will steer you toward places and people close to home, who would love to receive gently used items.